Planned C-sections

I'm an all natural birth person... so this to me is so wrong, because I feel if a baby goes past the due date, they're just not ready to come out yet.. But everyone has different opinions. I feel a c-section should be considered when there is an emergency, but every opportunity should be given for the woman to delivery vaginally.

I was having a conversation with two friends last night who said they are scheduling their c-section for a certain day. It really irked me... What if the baby wasn't ready to come out yet? Do you think there could be effects on the baby later in life for the mother choosing this?

What are your thoughts on planned c-sections?

I'm an all natural birth person... so this to me is so wrong, because I feel if a baby goes past the due date, they're just not ready to come out yet.. But everyone has different opinions. I feel a c-section should be considered when there is an emergency, but every opportunity should be given for the woman to delivery vaginally.

I was having a conversation with two friends last night who said they are scheduling their c-section for a certain day. It really irked me... What if the baby wasn't ready to come out yet? Do you think there could be effects on the baby later in life for the mother choosing this?

I think that unless you know everything about why they made their decision, and we're in on every conversation they've had with their physicians and family, and have witnessed every bit of research they've done to make their decision, then you really can't be irked or otherwise.

I think that unless you know everything about why they made their decision, and we're in on every conversation they've had with their physicians and family, and have witnessed every bit of research they've done to make their decision, then you really can't be irked or otherwise.

They were saying it was because the mom wanted to buy plane tickets to be there on a certain date, and the other girl said her son had some complications, so she just wanted to forego any potential complications by having a planned c-section. I totally understand that reason.

They were saying it was because the mom wanted to buy plane tickets to be there on a certain date, and the other girl said her son had some complications, so she just wanted to forego any potential complications by having a planned c-section. I totally understand that reason.

I think elective c-sections are bs. I think the whole issue of rushing women's labours with Pitocin and handing out epidurals as soon as you walk in is bs too. I cannot for the life of me understand why more women aren't doing research and prepping themselves with knowledge before giving birth and why so many are so quick to scoff at a "natural birth". I mean seriously, some of these women research what diaper bag or bedding set they're going to get more than they do the actual process of giving birth. It blows my mind.

I think elective c-sections are bs. I think the whole issue of rushing women's labours with Pitocin and handing out epidurals as soon as you walk in is bs too. I cannot for the life of me understand why more women aren't doing research and prepping themselves with knowledge before giving birth and why so many are so quick to scoff at a "natural birth". I mean seriously, some of these women research what diaper bag or bedding set they're going to get more than they do the actual process of giving birth. It blows my mind.

With my first, I had a scheduled c-section. It was not by choice. My baby flipped at 38 weeks into the frank breech position. I had a version to try to turn the baby manually. After 45 minutes of wrenching on my adbomen, my doctor refused to keep trying and told me if he was going to turn, he would have turned already. At that point, they told me it was too dangerous to deliver a first baby (who ended up weighing 8lbs, 11oz) in the frank breech position vaginally. They told me that the chances of complications increased with an emergency c-section, should I go into labor on my own, and that it was best to schedule the section. Had I not been young and inexperienced, I would have waited until I went into labor on my own because babies can flip on their own, even that far along. My second baby, I was fortunate to have a successful VBAC, even though I was induced and needed internal monitoring, I felt very empowered by the experience. But have gone through it both ways, I could see why someone would have the c-section over a vaginal birth. The 2nd and 3rd degree tears (I progressed very rapidly), massive bruising and vaginal stitches were far worse than the abdominal pain of surgery. Still, I'd go for another VBAC next time.

With my first, I had a scheduled c-section. It was not by choice. My baby flipped at 38 weeks into the frank breech position. I had a version to try to turn the baby manually. After 45 minutes of wrenching on my adbomen, my doctor refused to keep trying and told me if he was going to turn, he would have turned already. At that point, they told me it was too dangerous to deliver a first baby (who ended up weighing 8lbs, 11oz) in the frank breech position vaginally. They told me that the chances of complications increased with an emergency c-section, should I go into labor on my own, and that it was best to schedule the section. Had I not been young and inexperienced, I would have waited until I went into labor on my own because babies can flip on their own, even that far along. My second baby, I was fortunate to have a successful VBAC, even though I was induced and needed internal monitoring, I felt very empowered by the experience. But have gone through it both ways, I could see why someone would have the c-section over a vaginal birth. The 2nd and 3rd degree tears (I progressed very rapidly), massive bruising and vaginal stitches were far worse than the abdominal pain of surgery. Still, I'd go for another VBAC next time.

I'm on the October hb and there are a number of women who scheduled a c section for 10-11-12. I'm due on the 9th and I am soooo hoping kiddo comes before the 11th so I don't have to deal with all these idiots trying to force their babies out on a certain day so they have a cool birthday. I think unless there is a valid medical reason, babies should come when they are ready.

I'm on the October hb and there are a number of women who scheduled a c section for 10-11-12. I'm due on the 9th and I am soooo hoping kiddo comes before the 11th so I don't have to deal with all these idiots trying to force their babies out on a certain day so they have a cool birthday. I think unless there is a valid medical reason, babies should come when they are ready.

I can understand not being for elective c-sections. But I don't think scheduling a repeat c-section falls under that umbrella. You and your doctor may decide to choose that over VBAC, or you may be a poor candidate to try vaginally. The risks are higher if you go into labor on your own and then have a c-section. Planned is statistically safer. I was able to have a VBAC with my second. If that was not the decision that we came to after a lot of thought and research, I wouldn't really care what someone's knee jerk opinion of me was. When I hear that someone has a c-section scheduled, I give them the benefit of assuming that there is a reason unless I know otherwise, and secondly, that it's none if my business anyway. As an overall trend, the rise in c-sections do concern me though.

I can understand not being for elective c-sections. But I don't think scheduling a repeat c-section falls under that umbrella. You and your doctor may decide to choose that over VBAC, or you may be a poor candidate to try vaginally. The risks are higher if you go into labor on your own and then have a c-section. Planned is statistically safer. I was able to have a VBAC with my second. If that was not the decision that we came to after a lot of thought and research, I wouldn't really care what someone's knee jerk opinion of me was. When I hear that someone has a c-section scheduled, I give them the benefit of assuming that there is a reason unless I know otherwise, and secondly, that it's none if my business anyway. As an overall trend, the rise in c-sections do concern me though.

Chances are, if I decide to have a second baby, I'm gonna have to have another c-section. I would like to try for a natural birth again but it just may not be an option for me, sadly.

I think it is a bit ridiculous when people manage to convince their doctor to have surgery on a certain day for petty reasons (like having an 11/11/11 birthday or so that the kid is a specific zodiac sign) but, as long as baby and mom are okay, that's what matters most in the end, not how she birthed the baby.

Chances are, if I decide to have a second baby, I'm gonna have to have another c-section. I would like to try for a natural birth again but it just may not be an option for me, sadly.

I think it is a bit ridiculous when people manage to convince their doctor to have surgery on a certain day for petty reasons (like having an 11/11/11 birthday or so that the kid is a specific zodiac sign) but, as long as baby and mom are okay, that's what matters most in the end, not how she birthed the baby.

I don't get planned c sections or even planned induction when there is no medical reasoning for them. My doctor tried soooo hard for me to schedule an induction. She first asked me a week before my due day I said no she then asked again 2 days after my due date when I said no she started to lecture me about the risks then asked why I dont want it. I told her he will come when he's ready and as long as there were no medical reasons I am I not going to force him out. She then told me she wouldn't let me go past a certain day bc I was already a week past my due date. I told her she might wanna recheck my chart that I was only 2 days past. She had very shocked and confused look on her face. It pissed me off that she was trying to get me to do something when she couldn't even take the time to figure out when I was due. I feel like a lot of doctors pressure people into making the babies come early for the doctors convenenience. There are definitely parents that do the same. They are actually starting to say that kids that come before their due date for inductions/c sections that were for convenience are starting to hurt when they get to school age. It had something to do with their brain not being mature enough at birth or something like that I can't remember the exact reasoning.

I don't get planned c sections or even planned induction when there is no medical reasoning for them. My doctor tried soooo hard for me to schedule an induction. She first asked me a week before my due day I said no she then asked again 2 days after my due date when I said no she started to lecture me about the risks then asked why I dont want it. I told her he will come when he's ready and as long as there were no medical reasons I am I not going to force him out. She then told me she wouldn't let me go past a certain day bc I was already a week past my due date. I told her she might wanna recheck my chart that I was only 2 days past. She had very shocked and confused look on her face. It pissed me off that she was trying to get me to do something when she couldn't even take the time to figure out when I was due. I feel like a lot of doctors pressure people into making the babies come early for the doctors convenenience. There are definitely parents that do the same. They are actually starting to say that kids that come before their due date for inductions/c sections that were for convenience are starting to hurt when they get to school age. It had something to do with their brain not being mature enough at birth or something like that I can't remember the exact reasoning.

I was seeing an OB who wanted to induce me a week before my due date because we live 25 minutes from the hospital and she wanted to save us a trip. My jaw hit the floor and I switched doctors at 37 weeks.

I was seeing an OB who wanted to induce me a week before my due date because we live 25 minutes from the hospital and she wanted to save us a trip. My jaw hit the floor and I switched doctors at 37 weeks.

When I had my son he was originally going to be vaginal but he was to big for my birth canal (9 lbs 2oz) so I had to have a c section. With my daughter I had to as well she was breech, but my doctor told me they do it as late as possible so 39.5 weeks no sooner. And only when he's on call so I didnt get to pick a date. It's weird how some people can get their doctor to do that maybe its just different in every hospital I guess.

When I had my son he was originally going to be vaginal but he was to big for my birth canal (9 lbs 2oz) so I had to have a c section. With my daughter I had to as well she was breech, but my doctor told me they do it as late as possible so 39.5 weeks no sooner. And only when he's on call so I didnt get to pick a date. It's weird how some people can get their doctor to do that maybe its just different in every hospital I guess.

10/11/12 idiot here. I scheduled my repeat c-sect for that date, I think it's a cool birthday. I pray I make it that long. I don't owe anyone a justification for my scheduled c-sec but wanted to provide some insight for why people do schedule them. I am pregnant w/my second set of twins. My first set was conceived via IVF & was an extremely difficult pregnancy. After going into labor repeatedly beginning at 26 weeks I scheduled a c-sect @ 38 weeks due to babies positioning. After everything I went through to get pregnant & then a horrible pregnancy I did not want to stress my babies with versions etc to try to flip them. I just wanted them to arrive safely. I went into labor 3 weeks before my sect date & since I was 35 weeks the doctors didn't try to stop it. Prior to becoming pregnant this time I spoke with my OB to find out if I was a candidate for VBAC. One of the things I was looking forward to about pregnancy was the opportunity to experience a vaginal delivery. He let me know I was an excellent candidate & I was excited about the prospect. Fast forward 8 months & I find out I'm pregnant with twins again. The risk of uterine rupture w/a 2nd set of twins is much higher than a singleton delivery so I decided early on I was just going to have a repeat c-sect. I refused to spend my last pregnancy mourning the vaginal birth that wasn't in the best interest of my family. Though it may not seem it, I do prefer the idea of natural child birth, I just don't think, given the circumstances, it makes sense for me. When they gave me the time range to scheduled section 10/11/12 was in the range so I jumped on it. Like I said I hope I make it...Not so they'll have a fun birth date...but because I want them to stay in longer than my sons did. At this point my babies are breech and transverse and while they could still flip I'm glad to know that the decision I made moths this ago is still the best one for us. If they were both head down I might feel otherwise.

10/11/12 idiot here. I scheduled my repeat c-sect for that date, I think it's a cool birthday. I pray I make it that long. I don't owe anyone a justification for my scheduled c-sec but wanted to provide some insight for why people do schedule them. I am pregnant w/my second set of twins. My first set was conceived via IVF & was an extremely difficult pregnancy. After going into labor repeatedly beginning at 26 weeks I scheduled a c-sect @ 38 weeks due to babies positioning. After everything I went through to get pregnant & then a horrible pregnancy I did not want to stress my babies with versions etc to try to flip them. I just wanted them to arrive safely. I went into labor 3 weeks before my sect date & since I was 35 weeks the doctors didn't try to stop it. Prior to becoming pregnant this time I spoke with my OB to find out if I was a candidate for VBAC. One of the things I was looking forward to about pregnancy was the opportunity to experience a vaginal delivery. He let me know I was an excellent candidate & I was excited about the prospect. Fast forward 8 months & I find out I'm pregnant with twins again. The risk of uterine rupture w/a 2nd set of twins is much higher than a singleton delivery so I decided early on I was just going to have a repeat c-sect. I refused to spend my last pregnancy mourning the vaginal birth that wasn't in the best interest of my family. Though it may not seem it, I do prefer the idea of natural child birth, I just don't think, given the circumstances, it makes sense for me. When they gave me the time range to scheduled section 10/11/12 was in the range so I jumped on it. Like I said I hope I make it...Not so they'll have a fun birth date...but because I want them to stay in longer than my sons did. At this point my babies are breech and transverse and while they could still flip I'm glad to know that the decision I made moths this ago is still the best one for us. If they were both head down I might feel otherwise.

Angelhaiku quite frankly your "judgement" of how wrong it was for me to delivery 3 healthy babies after two very long labours, two emergency c-sections and one scheduled, are irrelevant to me. Hand on my heart, I think it is wonderful that you were able to deliver naturally but you don't know medical history. I tried but wasn't able to. Why would you want to take the "joy" of delivering a healthy baby just for the sake of a natural delivery and then only end up with another c-section? Are you trying to say I am any less a mother because they came out differently to yours? I am a tertiary educated woman who was well informed of the risks. Since you've obviously never had a c-section how would you know it's the "easy" way out? Judge much?

Angelhaiku quite frankly your "judgement" of how wrong it was for me to delivery 3 healthy babies after two very long labours, two emergency c-sections and one scheduled, are irrelevant to me. Hand on my heart, I think it is wonderful that you were able to deliver naturally but you don't know medical history. I tried but wasn't able to. Why would you want to take the "joy" of delivering a healthy baby just for the sake of a natural delivery and then only end up with another c-section? Are you trying to say I am any less a mother because they came out differently to yours? I am a tertiary educated woman who was well informed of the risks. Since you've obviously never had a c-section how would you know it's the "easy" way out? Judge much?

I will be having a planned c section. Not that I think I owe anyone an explanation but my reason is that my baby is going to be very large, around 10 or 11 pound kind of large. I am not ashamed to admit that I appreciate my vagina the way it is and do not want it to be obliterated the way I have seen happen to many women in my life. I just wonder why any woman would have anything to say about another woman's choices for her own body? Perhaps the kind who are not fulfilled in their own life so need to have a "hate" to fixate on?

I will be having a planned c section. Not that I think I owe anyone an explanation but my reason is that my baby is going to be very large, around 10 or 11 pound kind of large. I am not ashamed to admit that I appreciate my vagina the way it is and do not want it to be obliterated the way I have seen happen to many women in my life. I just wonder why any woman would have anything to say about another woman's choices for her own body? Perhaps the kind who are not fulfilled in their own life so need to have a "hate" to fixate on?

I will be having a planned c section. Not that I think I owe anyone an explanation but my reason is that my baby is going to be very large, around 10 or 11 pound kind of large. I am not ashamed to admit that I appreciate my vagina the way it is and do not want it to be obliterated the way I have seen happen to many women in my life. I just wonder why any woman would have anything to say about another woman's choices for her own body? Perhaps the kind who are not fulfilled in their own life so need to have a "hate" to fixate on?

I will be having a planned c section. Not that I think I owe anyone an explanation but my reason is that my baby is going to be very large, around 10 or 11 pound kind of large. I am not ashamed to admit that I appreciate my vagina the way it is and do not want it to be obliterated the way I have seen happen to many women in my life. I just wonder why any woman would have anything to say about another woman's choices for her own body? Perhaps the kind who are not fulfilled in their own life so need to have a "hate" to fixate on?

I think there are definitely good reasons for scheduled c-sections, but there are some situations where the reason makes no sense to me. I have 3 girlfriends who had planned c-sections a week before their due date with their first babies. (Totally uncomplicated pregnancies). I didn't ask them much about it because their choice is their own business. One of my friends did say her reason was that she does not like the unpredictability of labour and feels there is a higher chance if something going wrong during natural birth. And get this: she is a family physician who has attended many births. My other friend is also a family physician, and the third one is married to one. I try not to judge other people's choices, but this really makes no sense to me, and yeah, I'm judging. The other thing they all have in common is they are South African. A cultural thing, maybe? Oh, another interesting tidbit: one of the friends ended up being at my labour (small town) and commented that if she could have been guaranteed a delivery like mine, she would have gone for a natural birth.

I think there are definitely good reasons for scheduled c-sections, but there are some situations where the reason makes no sense to me. I have 3 girlfriends who had planned c-sections a week before their due date with their first babies. (Totally uncomplicated pregnancies). I didn't ask them much about it because their choice is their own business. One of my friends did say her reason was that she does not like the unpredictability of labour and feels there is a higher chance if something going wrong during natural birth. And get this: she is a family physician who has attended many births. My other friend is also a family physician, and the third one is married to one. I try not to judge other people's choices, but this really makes no sense to me, and yeah, I'm judging. The other thing they all have in common is they are South African. A cultural thing, maybe? Oh, another interesting tidbit: one of the friends ended up being at my labour (small town) and commented that if she could have been guaranteed a delivery like mine, she would have gone for a natural birth.

Stop judging. C-sections are scheduled bc if you go into labor that complicates the whole c-section. My first was an emergency c-section and my second we scheduled when I was 39 weeks. It goes much smoother when you are not already in labor. My 2nd baby was 9.5lbs so think he was Ok coming out. I didn't have a VBAC bc my doctor didn't recommend I have one. Stop judging and leave your friends alone. I am sure you will make parenting decisions your friends don't agree with.

Stop judging. C-sections are scheduled bc if you go into labor that complicates the whole c-section. My first was an emergency c-section and my second we scheduled when I was 39 weeks. It goes much smoother when you are not already in labor. My 2nd baby was 9.5lbs so think he was Ok coming out. I didn't have a VBAC bc my doctor didn't recommend I have one. Stop judging and leave your friends alone. I am sure you will make parenting decisions your friends don't agree with.

I know lots of women have c sections for medical reasons, and others for not so medical reasons like fear of childbirth. I'm the exact opposite. I am scared to death to have a c section. During my first delivery we had a scare with baby's heart rate dropping when I was doubled over wretching. The doc who hit the room first immediately wanted a c section. I said no way, we are trying everything else first. I got some oxygen via mask, and laid on my side and all was well. That's when I got the epidural. The pain made me vomit uncontrollably (well that or the devil that is pitocin). After I got the pain relief things went well. I even napped. DS was born a few hours later vaginally with no issue. The quickness of some obs to scream c section is frightening. I made sure my ob this time around knows that unless there is some grave danger to myself or the fetus, I will NOT be induced or have a c section. For me personally, c section is emergency surgery to save one or the others life.

I know lots of women have c sections for medical reasons, and others for not so medical reasons like fear of childbirth. I'm the exact opposite. I am scared to death to have a c section. During my first delivery we had a scare with baby's heart rate dropping when I was doubled over wretching. The doc who hit the room first immediately wanted a c section. I said no way, we are trying everything else first. I got some oxygen via mask, and laid on my side and all was well. That's when I got the epidural. The pain made me vomit uncontrollably (well that or the devil that is pitocin). After I got the pain relief things went well. I even napped. DS was born a few hours later vaginally with no issue. The quickness of some obs to scream c section is frightening. I made sure my ob this time around knows that unless there is some grave danger to myself or the fetus, I will NOT be induced or have a c section. For me personally, c section is emergency surgery to save one or the others life.

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